ENGLAND 2023 – I


HAMPTON COURT PALACE


Our first day in England and we re-visited Hampton Court Palace having previously done so on our first UK visit in 2013.

Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, 12 miles (19 kilometres) south-west and upstream of central London on the River Thames.

The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chief minister of Henry VIII. In 1529, as Wolsey fell from favour, the cardinal gave the palace to the king to check his disgrace. The palace went on to become one of Henry’s most favoured residences; soon after acquiring the property, he arranged for it to be enlarged so it could accommodate his sizeable retinue of courtiers. The palace is in the possession of King Charles III and the Crown.


Hampton Court Palace Across The Thames, Hampton Court Bridge, Molesey, London, England UK


River Thames & Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court Bridge, Molesey, London, England UK


Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK



Light Standards, Hampton Court Bridge, Molesey, London, England UK



Palace Entrance, Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court Way, Molesey, London, England UK


Moat, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK

A decorative feature but it has flooded in years gone by depending on weather.


A Side Gate, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Base Court Entry, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Sculpture at Base Court Entry, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Inside of Base Court Entry, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Lead Lined Window, Base Court, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Decorative Ceiling, Anne Boelyn’s Gateway, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Hammerbeam Ceiling, The Great Hall, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Interior Staircase, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Fountain Court, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Light Standard, Fountain Court, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Cloister off Chapel Court Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Passageway Staircase, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Royal Crest, Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Chapel Court Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Wine Cellar, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Astronomical Clock, Anne Boleyn’s Gatehouse, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK

The clock was installed in 1540 on the gatehouse to the inner court at Hampton Court Palace. This pre-Copernican and pre-Galilean astronomical clock is still functioning.


Alley, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


The Great Vine, Wilderness Cottage, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK

The Great Vine, Vitis vinifera ‘Schiava Grossa’ (synonym: Black Hamburg), is now 250 years old and is the largest grape vine in the world. It was planted in 1768 while Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was in charge of the gardens at Hampton Court.


Garden Avenue, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


The Pond Gardens, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Misshapen Tree, The Pond Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Arbor, The Privy Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Roman Soldier Statue, The Privy Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Sundials, The Privy Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Brick Alcove, The Privy Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Entrance/Exit Gates, The Privy Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Gate Handle, The Privy Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Shire Horse Drawn Tourist Ride, The Board Walk, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


The Great Fountain Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Long Water, Hampton Court Park, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


The Three Graces, The Great Fountain Garden, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Drinking Fountain, Tilt Yard, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Jousting Knights Sculptures, Tilt Yard, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Garden Hedges, Tilt Yard, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Daffodils, The Tilt Yard, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Gnarley Tree, The Wilderness, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Gateway, Tennis Court Lane, Hampton Court Palace, Molesey, London, England UK


Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy Part III

Door, Via Zamboni, 57, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Door, Via Zamboni, 59, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Collezione di Mineralogia, Via Zamboni, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Door, Museo di Mineralogia L Bombicci, Via Zamboni, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Door, Museo di Mineralogia L Bombicci, Via Zamboni, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Convento Padri Agostiniani, Via Zamboni, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Convent of the Augustinian Fathers – Basilica of San Giacomo Maggiore


Basilica of San Giacomo Maggiore, Piazza Gioacchino Rossini, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Chiesa di San Donato, Piazzetta Achille Ardigò, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Arcade, L’Accademia di Letteratura, Via Zamboni, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Entrance, Lifebrain Laboratorio Analisi, Via Zamboni, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Bricked Wall Niche, Via Zamboni, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

See on Google Street View


Old Doors, Via del Carro, 2, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Doors, Via Zamboni, 6, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Passageway, Piazza di Porta Ravegnana, 1, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Entrance Doors, Camera di Commercio Industria Artigianato e Agricoltura di Bologna, Palazzo della Mercanzia, Piazza della Mercanzia, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Gated Passage, Via Castiglione, 1, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Window Grille With Shields, Via Castiglione, 2, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Entrance, Palazzo Pepoli Vecchio, Via Castiglione, 8, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

A medieval palace now home to the Museo della Storia di Bologna – Museum of the History of Bologna.


Traffic Jam, Via Clavature, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

It’s very easy to get yourself into a situation such as this when trying to navigate these historic places.


Santuario di Santa Maria della Vita, Via Clavature, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

13th Century origins as church and a hospital. Current construction dates to 1687.


Trattoria da Gianni, Via Clavature, 18, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Narrow Street, Via de’ Musei, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy


Piazza Maggiore, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy




Greece 2019 Part XII – Methoni Castle


All images are geotagged and hyperlinked to open full screen. To view them on a map, save the image to your hard drive and then download this FREE SOFTWARE. Install and click on the image in the left panel to view in a map as to the location where it was taken.  (SAMPLE VIEW)


Location of Methoni Castle


The Castle of Methoni is a medieval fortification in the port town of Methoni, Messenia, in southwestern Greece. The castle of Methoni occupies the whole area of the cape and the southwestern coast to the small islet that has also been fortified with an octagonal tower and is protected by the sea on its three sides. Its north part, the one that looks to land, is covered by a heavily fortified acropolis. A deep moat separates the castle from the land and communication was achieved by a wooden bridge. The Venetians built on the ancient battlements and added on and repaired it during both periods that they occupied the castle. There is visible evidence of the Venetians remaining with carved symbols and emblems on the castle walls.





Greece 2019 Part II


All images are geotagged and hyperlinked to open full screen. To view them on a map, save the image to your hard drive and then download this FREE SOFTWARE. Install and click on the image in the left panel to view in a map as to the location where it was taken.  (SAMPLE VIEW)


Church of the Pantanassa, Monastiraki Square, Athens, Greece

Flea Market, Normanou, Athens, Greece

Normanou, 5, Athens, Greece

Derelict, Ermou, Athens, Greece

Street Lamp, Agiou Filippou , Athens, Greece

Archaeology, Agiou Filippou, Athens, Greece

Church of the Apostle Phillip, Adrianou, Athens, Greece

Archaeology, Adrianou, Athens, Greece

Adrianou Suites, Kinetou, Athens, Greece

Hotel 360 Degrees, Monastirakiou. Athens, Greece
[Where we stayed in Athens]

Orthodox Priest, Monastiraki Square, Athens, Greece

Tzisdarakis Mosque, Monastiraki Square, Athens, Greece.JPG
[Now the Museum of Greek Folk Art]

The Parthenon, Athens, Greece
[Taken from our hotel]

Tour Bus, Ermou, Athens, Greece

Church of Agia Kyriaki, Athinas, Athens, Greece

Fountain, Kotzia Square, Athinas, Athens, Greece

Statue Of Pericles. Athinas, Athens, Greece

Urban Art, Menandrou, Athens, Greece

Sculpture, Panagi Tsaldari , Athens, Greece

Derelict Building, Kallirrois, Athens, Greece

[Buildings like this were not an uncommon sight in Athens]

Sleeping Dogs, Rovertou Galli, Athens, Greece

Wandering Cat, Acropolis, Athens, Greece

[Cats and dogs wander every where in Greece – not domestic in the main but survive due to locals feeding them]

Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athens, Greece

[Located on on the slopes of the Acropolis – built by the Romans in 161 AD]

Gathering Clouds, Terminal Car Park, Piraeus, Greece

Our Bus Caught Fire, Vassilisi Amalias Avenue, Athens, Greece